[Surgical treatment of gastric cancer: new methods and longstanding difficulties].

UNLABELLED

The incidence of gastric carcinoma has been declining and the same tendency is observed in Hungary. The five-year survival rate has been improved due to the fewer postoperative deaths and the more radical operations (e.g. extended lymphadenectomies).

METHODS

The authors analyzed the clinical data of 183 patients with gastric carcinoma. Age, sex, histology reports, TNM staging and the surgical interventions are presented.

RESULTS

Potentially curative resection could be performed in about half of the patients (92/182). A large proportion of the patients belonged to the locally advanced cancer group (112/182). The ratio of the different TNM stages remained the same year by year in the investigated period despite the improving endoscopic facilities.

CONCLUSION

Early diagnosis of gastric cancer is crucial and continuous effort should be made by the surgeons, the gastroenterologist and the general practitioners to identify high risk patients with the use of new, sensitive screening methods.